Tree of hatred
by Kuchiyose
Summary: The war is over. But for Konoha there is still a shadow behind that light of peace. Sai/Sasuke-centric fiction. NON-Yaoi! No pairings. Rating T for language. I'm super happy if you like what you read. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

„This is a top secret mission"

He nods.

„Shinobi normally go out in a three man cell! You, being a member of the Root specialized in tracking, will go alone with Tora from the Black Ops as back up. He is already informed about this issue."

He nods again.

„With Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito dead we've heard about Taka. Leader of this group is our well known Uchiha Sasuke. His motives of hiding are still not clear to us. We know about his revenge on Itachi and his plan to destroy Konohagakure. Team seven knows as well about these matters. BUT! Our citizens slowly calm down and Konoha is developing faster than expected after the war. Naruto is as noisy as a murder of crows. Sakura has her emotion disturbing her clear mind. You might understand why I want to send out you to this mission!"

„I understand."

„You will leave tomorrow morning. Tora will follow you hiding. Don't start a fight. Don't reveal yourself. Don't underestimate him. And by the way. The other ANBU are getting restless. Take care of yourself."

„Yes, Hokage-sama!"

„You are dismissed." 

* * *

„Mah'! Where is this guy? Being late like Kakashi..."

„Don't be so impatient, Naruto. Not everyone is free from work like you are!", Sakura replies.

Naruto sighs and grabs the menu. For Naruto Ichiraku being opened right after the war is like heaven. But actually he was not in need of studying the menu.

„Ichiraku's special Ramen! I decided!", Naruto grins.

Right in time it is Sai who enters the small tentative restaurant and smiles unemotionally.

„I'm late. Sorry."

Naruto turns around and and laughs. This is Sai's typical smile. It was the first time for team seven coming together after the struggeling they had during the war. Sakura is quite busy being a medical ninja helping the last injured shinobi. Sai as well is helping the city being rebuild. Naruto, the hero of this nation, seems to be the only one who is dying by boredom.

„Now that you arrived we should order as well.", Sakura smiles. So does Sai.  
„Itadakimasu!"

It is mostly Sakura who is talking about the happening in the hospital and Naruto who is strongly commenting on her stories. It is what they call a comfortable feeling being around friends, Sai thinks. Deep down he also wants to tell them about something. About the mission he's got. He knows he can't and remains silent.

„It was nice to meet team seven again.", Sakura mentions after paying their bills. It is her treat after a long time. „We should do this more often, don't you think?"

„Sakura-chan. I totally agree!" Naruto stroke belly and seems satisfied.

She looks to Sai who still has his neutral face. „Couldn't you enjoy as well?"

Finally he smiles. „I enjoyed your presence, Ugly. But I have to decline an invitation for a next meeting."

They look suprised.

„What are you saying?"

Continuing his smile Sai thinks about a explanation without mentioning the topic. He knows that Sasuke is a tabu.

„I have to decline an invitation for a next meeting.", he repeats.

„So you didn't like our today's meeting?"

„I liked it, dickless. But nevertheless you have to excuse me. I won't join you next time."

Sai is a little bit confused when he sees their sad faces. Still he can't understand the reason why people get emotional even he learned a lot about it during the war. But not meeting Sakura and Naruto made him realise that he is no longer in need of study about his emotion and how to control them. Especially for this mission he should have cool mind.

„You blockhead! At least give us a reason!"

A reason.

„That is why you keep having sad faces.", he spots. „I'm out for a mission. Tomorrow morning I'll be leaving Konoha for a while. That's why I have to decline an invitation. Even I want to join I won't be able to make it. My apologies."

„Isn't it to early to send out for missions again? The other villages might not be stabilised again"

„Yeah! And why Sai is sent out and I have to rest? I have enough power and I extremly feel like going out for a mission. I'm bored!"

DONK!

„Awwww. Sakura-chan. Why was that?"

„This village still is not restored. Instead of being bored you should help, idiot!"

Sai's face lightens up. They will never change.

„I have to go."

„Good luck, Sai! Contact us when you're back!"

* * *

Scrolls, ink and brushes. This is everything he needs. It is still deep night and to early to leave. But still Sai is standing infront of his mirror wearing his ANBU uniform. His mask lies on the table as well as his tools. It is a long time ago since he's worn his mask. Slowly he walks to the table as he suddenly dodges a kunai.

„Leave your emotion aside and go. The sooner you leave the better!"

Tora. Even he left as fast as he came Sai still could recognise him by his mask. Following Tora's advice Sai puts his tools in his back and wears the mask. Actually he never imagined that he will be the one tracking Saskuke. But this means nothing. To track someone is not to capture someone. To spy on someone doesn't mean to kill someone. But still he has this strange feeling which he can't describe. It is not fear nor excitement. It is not anger nor joy. He needs to be focused.  
_The other ANBU are getting restless. Take care of yourself._

„Am I restless?"

Sai wonders why he even considers about this. This mission need to be a success. Not matter how restless he or the other ANBU are. At the gates of the city he stops. Again an unexpected visit befor he departs.

„Kakashi-senpai?"

„It's him you're facing. Take care of yourself."

_Take care of yourself._


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the many views on this story. I hope you continue reading and I'm motivated (even without any reviews yet) to update as much as I can.

* * *

„Tired!"

She falls on the soft grass close to the training grounds which team seven used to use and watches the clouds moving silently through the sky. Sakura feels nostalgic when she remembers it. Sasuke was still part of their team. How terribly she fell in love with him. _He is not worth it anymore_, she thinks. With Sai in their team replacing Sasuke she could forget about the loniless he gave her after leaving Konoha for getting his revenge. But Sai is gone too and her nostalgic feeling suddenly changes into sadness. The people slowly recover from their injuries they got during the war and her work doesn't help her anymore to forget her own worries. Soon Naruto will be out for a mission too. She smiles. _Maybe he is already looking forward to it._

„Sakura-chan!"

Sakura looks up surprised.

„Speak of the devil...! What are you doing here?"

Naruto looks as happy as ever. She envies him for his optimism and his strong will. He's been through a lot of things in the past but he never lost his happiness and his extraordinary good mood. Grinning like a Cheshire cat he falls next to her.

„You weren't in the hospital. I couldn't imagine you're already home this early, you know!"

Again she smiles. Apart from his super exaggerated behavior Naruto really is a good friend that he proved so many times. How could she ever pay him back?

„Actually, Sakura-chan...", Naruto continues. „Kakashi-sensei is inviting us for dinner today that's why I was searching you. I never expect you to be here!"

Of course. How can she even think about Naruto caring about her when she obviously doesn't have any problem.

„You know, Sai is gone already two weeks and you're a super busy medical ninja. We shouldn't lose track of each other, should we?"

„Are you quoting Kakashi-sensei's words?"

Naruto shrugs.

„Aaaaah...Sakura-chan! How could you even think about this? You know, I care about you, that's it!"

„Never mind!", she giggles. „I join of course."

„Yes! Let's say seven o'clock! Ichiraku!"

She just watches him jumping away.

He really is a good friend.

* * *

Ichiraku's business increases only slowly. Konoha's citizen still are not in the mood to eat outside and everyone is short of cash. Still Naruto comes often as a regual guest and with Sakura and Kakashi joining the small restaurant looks quite inviting. For Teuchi and his daughter they always are welcome guests.

„Naruto! I have a good nose! I expected you'll coming today!"

With a noisy laugh Teuchi welcomes his guests in his small noodlehouse.

„Same as usual, I guess!"

„Damn right!", Naruto grins.

It doesn't take a long time that Sakura enters the small restaurant tool. Happily she stits next to her teammate. Kakashi takes his time to meet them, as always. Sakura and Naruto nearly finish their ramen when their former sensei intends to join their conversation that started over one hour ago.

„Yo!"

„Kakashi-sensei!"

One hour late is nearly his best timing. Sakura remembers when they wanted to head out for a mission but had to wait at least two hours for their sensei to come. This happened not only once. Luckily they are not in a hurry this time and they have enough time to enjoy their free time together.

„It seems like I missed our small dinner!", Kakashi explains without any sign of regret. „It has to be my treat then! But I don't want to let you wait any longer. You already ate something so how about we change the place?"

Naruto and Sakura understand each other without words. They also don't want to interrupt their former sensei and give him a hint that thei actually could pay their bill by themselves. Yamato, who is normally paying when team seven has kind of drinking meeting, doesn't join today so for them it is kind of special that Kakashi himself offers to pay after all these years. They don't need to walk long through this small developing town to find a place to drink. To their surprise a lot of people seem to have the same idea to get a drink.

„They all seem tired...", Sakura says with an sad expression.

Everyone is working so hard to rebuild their home and to help their town that they only find hapiness in drinking. She cannot imagine how they feel losing their relatives, their friends during the war. Between all this people they find a place to sit down and Kakashi get them a few drinks and sit next to them.

„Say, how do you feel as team seven?", he asks without touching his drink.

Sakura sighs.

„It feels kind of lonely. I can accept that Sasuke is gone and probably don't return to Konoha. But Sai is on a mission and even he is a really annoying guy I miss him a little."

Naruto nods.

„Sakura-chan hit the point. It's super boring. Nobody I can fight with. Even no missions for me."

Kakashi can understand how they feel. If you've always been together with your friend it is hard to accept when they are gone.

„Then it is good that Tsunade-sama got Sai's report today. I can't tell you about his mission but he is okay." Kakashi can see relief in his teammates eyes. „On the other hand I have to tell you, that I have to check a few things and also won't be avaliable the next few weeks." And now he can see the shock.

„Why? Kakashi-sensei! Don't tell me that even you will go out on a mission too! What are we supposed to do in this time?" Naruto of course is as passionated as always when he talks about a mission. He really wants to be busy but with nearly every teammate gone the possibility that he has a chance to leave the city was extremely low. Kakashi just looks to them.

„Don't underestimate this situation and don't stop training. It seems that trouble finds us faster than we expect."

* * *

Sai hides in the trees checking his surrounding. He already found his target several days ago but no movement ever since. His mice found a track very soon so he easily could reach the border to Sunagakure. From that time on he is sitting in this tree and just check his target's hideout. Tora is still in the background. But something is bothering him after sending his report to Hokage. He is sure that nobody follows him except Tora. He is sure that his target doesn't realise that he is being followed. So what was this feeling that makes him freeze?

...

„Don't underestimate me!"


End file.
